IDENTIFICATION OF FEMALE SEX-PHEROMONE COMPONENTS OF RICE LOOPER, PLUSIA-FESTUCAE (L), (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE)

The rice looper, Plusia festucae, is a defoliator of the rice plant. Chromatographic behavior, chemical reactions, and GC-MS analyses of the female sex pheromone revealed that the main component was (Z)-5-dodecenyl acetate (Z5-12:OAc, component I). The GC-MS analysis also indicated that the pheromone gland extract included another three monounsaturated components, (Z)-5-dodecen-1-ol (Z5-12:OH, component II), (Z)-7-tetradecenyl acetate (Z7-14:OAc, component III), and (Z)-7-tetradecen-1-o1 (27-14:OH, component IV) in the following ratio: I:II:III:IV = 100:6:15:1. In a paddy field, the mixture of synthetic I, II, and UI in a ratio of 100:6:15 showed stronger attractancy than the virgin female, while the role of IV was unknown.